Following up on Dregor's post...

Kaldaur · Post by **Kaldaur** » April 26, 2004, 5:21 pm

I was reading his, and figured I'd post my own character creation and see what you guys thought. I've been looking over the combinations for class, and I decided to go with a Scrapper. My secondary will either by Regeneration or Super Reflexes, and my primary is either Dark Melee or Katana. Any thoughts on what choices I should make? I appreciate the help.

noel · Post by **noel** » April 26, 2004, 5:32 pm

My scrapper was my main for the first half of my time in beta. I had him up to level 12, and I was focusing much more on super speed and super reflexes than I was on my primary power which was martial arts.

Here's what I can tell you about Super Reflexes. I got the shit beat out of me pretty often, but I seemed to survive much better than most of the other scrappers I would group with. The biggest problem I had with my MA powers was that they were extremely End burning, which seems to be the case with all of the Scrapper's primary power pulls. I can't really advise you at all on Dark Melee. I played with Katana for just a bit, and didn't really like the animation so I scrapped that character. Below is the scrapper build I'm targetting after I max my blaster for reference. His secondary power pool is super reflexes, and I've chosen what I believe are the most useful powers.

Slot[01] Level 1 (Starting Primary) : Storm Kick /Empty
Slot[02] Level 1 (Starting Secondary) : Focused Fighting /Empty
Slot[03] Level 2 : Focused Senses /Empty
Slot[04] Level 4 : Agile /Empty
Slot[05] Level 6 : Flurry /Empty
Slot[06] Level 8 : Hasten /Empty
Slot[07] Level 10 : Focus Chi /Empty
Slot[08] Level 12 : Crane Kick /Empty
Slot[09] Level 14 : Super Speed /Empty
Slot[10] Level 16 : Dodge /Empty
Slot[11] Level 18 : Swift /Empty
Slot[12] Level 20 : Hurdle /Empty
Slot[13] Level 22 : Health /Empty
Slot[14] Level 24 : Stamina /Empty
Slot[15] Level 26 : Whirlwind /Empty
Slot[16] Level 28 : Dragon's Tail /Empty
Slot[17] Level 30 : Quickness /Empty
Slot[18] Level 32 : Lucky /Empty
Slot[19] Level 35 : Evasion /Empty
Slot[20] Level 38 : Eagle's Claw /Empty

I'm of the opinion that when choosing defensive powers, 'Always On', or 'Toggles' are the best way to go.

Good luck, and have fun with it. I made at least 10 characters in beta just playing around with things, so it might take you some time to see what you like.

Zaul · Post by **Zaul** » April 26, 2004, 5:38 pm

Outsider is a Katana/Super Reflexes.
Dawn Shadow is a Dark Melee/Regeneration.

As far as the DM/Regen goes you can be hit by most anything. Your defense comes from the 3 heals in your line which seem effective. I made level 11 today soloing groups of 3 that include one orange and 2 yellow con guys. (Shocker and 2 random thugs.) The extra life makes the difference. Look at how you will build this character for a while. My build is as follows.

Archetype: Scrapper
Primary Powers - Melee : Dark Melee
Secondary Powers - Defense : Regeneration
Slot[01] Level 1 (Starting Primary) : Shadow Punch /Acc,Acc,Dmg,HitDeb,HitDeb,HitDeb
Slot[02] Level 1 (Starting Secondary) : Fast Healing /Heal
Slot[03] Level 2 : Shadow Maul /Acc,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg
Slot[04] Level 4 : Smite /Acc,Acc,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg
Slot[05] Level 6 : Hasten /Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,Rchg
Slot[06] Level 8 : Reconstruction /Rchg
Slot[07] Level 10 : Quick Recovery /EndRec,EndRec,EndRec,EndRec,EndRec,EndRec
Slot[08] Level 12 : Siphon Life /EndRdx,EndRdx,Rchg,Rchg,Acc,Acc
Slot[09] Level 14 : Super Speed /Rchg
Slot[10] Level 16 : Dull Pain(Regen) /Rchg
Slot[11] Level 18 : Dark Consumption /Acc,EndRec,EndRec,Acc,EndRec,EndRec
Slot[12] Level 20 : Resilience /DamRes,DamRes,DamRes,DamRes,DamRes,DamRes
Slot[13] Level 22 : Integration /Rchg
Slot[14] Level 24 : Stealth /DefBuf
Slot[15] Level 26 : Soul Drain /Acc,Acc,HitBuf,HitBuf,Rchg,Rchg
Slot[16] Level 28 : Instant Healing /Heal
Slot[17] Level 30 : Invisibility /DefBuf
Slot[18] Level 32 : Midnight Grasp /Acc,Immob,Immob,Acc,Immob,Acc
Slot[19] Level 35 : Revive /Rchg
Slot[20] Level 38 : Moment Of Glory /DefBuf

Make sure you give slots to your offensive powers. They need tweaking. Siphon Life isn't effective till you have 4 slots, 2 for refresh, 2 for lower END cost. Shadow Maul may be the most powerful attack you get, and you get it quite early, level 2. The character should be able to have Hasten active over 90% of the time and have the END regen to make the quick use of powers a benefit instead of a hinderance.

Warcry should have a REGEN FAQ which I found helpful. I read it on the beta boards which are gone, but it was supposed to go to Warcry. It clears up quite a bit and gives some good numbers to compare. I don't Outsider well so I can't compare well. If you have other questions please let me know.

Z

P.S. The Fast Healing power is a downtime always on power, at least for all of the levels I have seen. Get to the next 3 of them. The END regen is great and the other 2 heal. It will help cut your downtime and increase your surviveability.

Zaul · Post by **Zaul** » April 26, 2004, 5:55 pm

Aranuil wrote:I'm of the opinion that when choosing defensive powers, 'Always On', or 'Toggles' are the best way to go.

Beware the toggle powers. I found that if you have defensive toggle power and get stunned, you've suddenly become defenseless. They balance with the activated powers to me since they still work while you are stunned if within their duration.

Z

noel · Post by **noel** » April 26, 2004, 5:58 pm

Oh yeah for sure. If you have ANY toggles running, and you're stunned, you have to hurry up and turn everything back on ASAP. That's why innate powers are the best imho. If you're going Scrapper/Super Reflexes, 'practiced brawler' is a nice power that will allow you to keep fighting when everyone else is stunned/disoriented.

Kaldaur · Post by **Kaldaur** » April 26, 2004, 7:06 pm

How's this look? Any suggestions, changes, etc.

Archetype: Scrapper
Primary Powers - Melee : Dark Melee
Secondary Powers - Defense : Super Reflexes
Slot[01] Level 1 (Starting Primary) : Shadow Punch /Dmg
Slot[02] Level 1 (Starting Secondary) : Focused Fighting /DefBuf
Slot[03] Level 2 : Shadow Maul /Dmg,Rchg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg
Slot[04] Level 4 : Agile /DefBuf,DefBuf,DefBuf
Slot[05] Level 6 : Swift /Run,Run,Run,Run
Slot[06] Level 8 : Hover /Fly,Fly
Slot[07] Level 10 : Practiced Brawler /Rchg,Rchg
Slot[08] Level 12 : Taunt /Rng,Taunt,Taunt
Slot[09] Level 14 : Fly /Fly,EndRdx,Fly,EndRdx,Fly,Fly
Slot[10] Level 16 : Dodge /DefBuf,DefBuf,DefBuf
Slot[11] Level 18 : Health /Heal,Heal,Heal
Slot[12] Level 20 : Stamina /EndRec,EndRec,EndRec,EndRec
Slot[13] Level 22 : Dark Consumption /Rchg,EndRec,Rchg,EndRec,EndRec,Rchg
Slot[14] Level 24 : Quickness /Run,Run,Run,Run,Run
Slot[15] Level 26 : Soul Drain /Rchg,Rchg,Acc,HitBuf,HitBuf
Slot[16] Level 28 : Group Fly /EndRdx,Fly,Fly,EndRdx
Slot[17] Level 30 : Lucky /DefBuf
Slot[18] Level 32 : Midnight Grasp /Immob,Immob,Immob,Acc,Acc,Acc
Slot[19] Level 35 : Evasion /DefBuf,EndRdx
Slot[20] Level 38 : Elude /Rchg

What I lack in offensive power I make up in ability to survive. I went with a lot of passive skills like health, stamina, agile, dodge, etc. because I like the idea of someone who can survive on his own. How do you think this will affect my character? Will he be a good fighter or will he lack because of fewer offensive choices?

Drolgin Steingrinder · Post by **Drolgin Steingrinder** » April 26, 2004, 8:38 pm

One thing to note is that even with hasten, some power sets have long *animations*, which means you'll waste that time activating a power (Katana for scrappers and Broadsword for tankers are supposedly especially bad) - up to 3.1 seconds for the worst one. That means that even if you slotted 6 single origin enhancers in it, you'd still get a max of 19 attacks or so per minute with that power. Claws have a timer as well - the animation needs time to extend them.

Just more food for thought.

Truant · Post by **Truant** » April 26, 2004, 9:58 pm

hmm, while the animation delay didn't seem to be much of a deal...with the multitude of attacks available, I never was waiting on refresh.

I'm curious if anyone noticed a difference in damage from powerset to powerset. I wanted to stick with Katana/Super Reflexes it seemed to work pretty well for me.

Ransure · Post by **Ransure** » April 26, 2004, 10:17 pm

Heres what I was thinking of.... anyone have any thoughts?

Archetype: Scrapper
Primary Powers - Melee : Katana
Secondary Powers - Defense : Super Reflexes
Slot[01] Level 1 (Starting Primary) : Slash(Ktn) /Empty
Slot[02] Level 1 (Starting Secondary) : Focused Fighting /Empty
Slot[03] Level 2 : Focused Senses /Empty
Slot[04] Level 4 : Slice(Ktn) /Empty
Slot[05] Level 6 : Hover /Empty
Slot[06] Level 8 : Agile /Empty
Slot[07] Level 10 : Swift /Empty
Slot[08] Level 12 : Teleport Foe /Empty
Slot[09] Level 14 : Stealth /Empty
Slot[10] Level 16 : Dodge /Empty
Slot[11] Level 18 : Whirling Sword /Empty
Slot[12] Level 20 : Quickness /Empty
Slot[13] Level 22 : Grant Invisibility /Empty
Slot[14] Level 24 : Phase Shift /Empty
Slot[15] Level 26 : Disembowel(Ktn) /Empty
Slot[16] Level 28 : Lucky /Empty
Slot[17] Level 30 : Hurdle /Empty
Slot[18] Level 32 : Stamina /Empty
Slot[19] Level 35 : Head Splitter(Ktn) /Empty
Slot[20] Level 38 : Elude /Empty

Or this one...

Archetype: Scrapper
Primary Powers - Melee : Katana
Secondary Powers - Defense : Regeneration
Slot[01] Level 1 (Starting Primary) : Hack(Ktn) /Empty
Slot[02] Level 1 (Starting Secondary) : Fast Healing /Empty
Slot[03] Level 2 : Slice(Ktn) /Empty
Slot[04] Level 4 : Quick Recovery /Empty
Slot[05] Level 6 : Reconstruction /Empty
Slot[06] Level 8 : Grant Invisibility /Empty
Slot[07] Level 10 : Teleport Foe /Empty
Slot[08] Level 12 : Hasten /Empty
Slot[09] Level 14 : Combat Jumping /Empty
Slot[10] Level 16 : Super Speed /Empty
Slot[11] Level 18 : Whirling Sword /Empty
Slot[12] Level 20 : Stealth /Empty
Slot[13] Level 22 : Phase Shift /Empty
Slot[14] Level 24 : Super Jump /Empty
Slot[15] Level 26 : Disembowel(Ktn) /Empty
Slot[16] Level 28 : Instant Healing /Empty
Slot[17] Level 30 : Teleport /Empty
Slot[18] Level 32 : Head Splitter(Ktn) /Empty
Slot[19] Level 35 : Revive /Empty
Slot[20] Level 38 : Moment Of Glory /Empty

noel · Post by **noel** » April 26, 2004, 11:18 pm

Truant wrote:hmm, while the animation delay didn't seem to be much of a deal...with the multitude of attacks available, I never was waiting on refresh.

That's not really what it's for. Hasten is more if you want to drop multiple instances of the same attack that happens to have a long delay, such as the fire blaster Fireball or Fire Rain. Basically Hasten is for when you want to lay waste to everything in sight.

Zaul · Post by **Zaul** » April 27, 2004, 11:11 am

http://mirror2.neosurge.com/coh/RegenerationFAQ.pdf is the link for the regen FAQ.

And as far as Hasten goes, it's for everything. I want my healer to have it so they can heal twice as often in a pinch etc. If you have 3 powers and you find that you are waiting to use any of them because they are all recycling, hasten will make them all available sooner.

Z

Ogbar · Post by **Ogbar** » April 27, 2004, 12:52 pm

Hasten is an amazing power. I group with a controller (illusion/emp) that keeps hasten up all the time. He brings incredible support to the group as a result, as his best powers always seem to be on hand. The down time between cycles is fairly short (it was ~20 secs at one point in beta, single training enhanced, but my data point might be old) and the up time is a couple of minutes.

I'd dump group fly, unless they fixed the issues with it. If you want something group friendly in it's place, try teleport friend. If group fly is the best fit for your character, be advised that lag affects it, and some of your friends may plummet to the ground.